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short story
noun
: an invented prose narrative shorter than a novel usually dealing with a few characters and aiming at unity of effect and often concentrating on the creation of mood rather than plot
Examples of short story in a Sentence
her very first short story was accepted for publication in a local journal
Recent Examples on the Web
Entries should be short stories about a group of friends on a camping trip who get stranded in the wilderness and discover a mysterious set of footprints.
—Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 2 Feb. 2025
When Basil shares with him one of his wacky short stories, Peter always finds something nice to say, no matter how trivial.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2025
That attention to nuance gets the film closer to the spirit of the novelist, poet and short story author than his previous screen adaptations — Alison Maclean’s Jesus’ Son and Claire Denis’ Stars at Noon.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Jan. 2025
Known primarily for her children's literature, with just under 30 books and with numerous short stories to her credit, Simon had a long career writing for adults as well.
—arkansasonline.com, 25 Jan. 2025
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Word History
First Known Use
1861, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near short story
Cite this Entry
“Short story.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/short%20story. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
Kids Definition
short story
noun
: a short work of fiction usually dealing with a few characters and a single event
More from Merriam-Webster on short story
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about short story
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